International Speech Contest
This contest is considered the premier contest in Toastmasters and is so named because the winner of the club contest has the opportunity to compete with other worldwide winners in the Toastmasters International grand final and become the world champion.
To be eligible to compete, the Toastmaster must:
- Have been an active member in good standing in a club which has been of good standing since the previous July 1.
- Have completed at least 6 manual speeches.
Current district officers, officers elect or appointee officers are ineligible to compete.
The subject for the speech shall be selected by the participant and must be substantially original. Timing for the speech is nominally 5 to 7 minutes. However, contestants will be disqualified for speaking less than 4 minutes 30 seconds or more than 7 minutes and 30 seconds.
Past Winners
2023 - Yingying Zhang
2021 - 2022 Not held
2020 Claudia Galvis
2019 Yingying Zhang
2018 David Waters
2017 Michael Caloudis
2016 Claudia Galvis
2015 Claudia Galvis
2014 Stefan van Vliet
2013 Sheena Garg
2012 Michael Caloudis
2011 Fionan King
2010 Pei Chen
2009 Andrew Garven
2008 Cedric Tong
2007 Andrew Garven
2006 Adrian Watts
2005 Steve Howard - won Area & Division
2004 Steve Howard; Vanessa Gorman r/u Club, won Area & Division
2003 Christopher Hire (Steve Howard, representing CityTalk, won Area)
2002 Steve Howard - won Area, Division, 3rd DISTRICT 70 !
2001 David Hire - r/u Area
2000 Steve Howard - won Area, Division, r/u DISTRICT 70 !!
1999 Steve Howard - won Area, r/u Division
1998 Steve Howard - won Area, Division & DISTRICT 70 !!!
1997 Steve Howard - won Area, Division & DISTRICT 70 !!!
1996 Steve Howard - won Area & Division
1995 David Hire - r/u Area
1994 Steve Howard - won Area; r/u Division
1993 Steve Howard - won Area
1992 David Hire
1991 Steve Howard - won Area
1990 David Hire
1989 Terry Yates
1988 Geoff Kirkwood
1987 Geoff Kirkwood - r/u Area
1986 Margaret Standaloft
1985 David Hire
1984 Norma Parker
1983 Helen Lynch - won Area & Division
1982 Jim Skinner
1981 N/A
1980 Jim Pearce
1979 Bruce Cogan